West End musical star and cult film actor Adam Garcia has been announced as the leading man in this year's panto at the Ipswich Regent

Piper Perabo and Adam Garcia in the cult hit Coyote Ugly. Adam will be playing Prince Charming in Cinerella at Ipswich Regent this Christmas Photo: Touchstone Pictures

Suffolk's youngsters may be heading back to school after the summer break but panto season is all ready starting to get into gear with the announcement that West End star Adam Garcia will be flashing his flashiest smile this December when he gets to play Prince Charming in the Ipswich Regent's pantomime Cinderella.

Garcia, who first came to fame in the cult Hollywood drama Coyote Ugly, has also appeared in a number of leading West End roles in Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Wicked, Kiss Me Kate and The Exorcist, as well as appearing in The Winter's Tale alongside Dame Judi Dench and Sir Kenneth Branagh.

The actor, tap dancer and singer has been nominated for an Olivier award twice. He has played Tony Manero in the stage version of Saturday Night Fever as well as originating the role of Fiyero alongside Kerry Ellis and Helen Dallimore in the London production of Wicked.

You may also want to watch:

He made his film debut opposite Stephen Fry in Wilde, a bio-pic about the life of Oscar Wilde, before playing Kevin O'Donnell opposite Piper Perabo in the film Coyote Ugly about the habitues of a trendy

bar and follows Kevin's attempts to help Violet (Perabo) overcome stage fright so she can pursue a music career.

Other screen appearance include playing opposte Lindsay Lohan in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen and playing a government scientist in David Tennant's first episode of Dr Who.

No word yet on who will be playing Cinders but resident comedian Mike McClean will be back and there is a promise of some magical transformations as pumpkins are turned into carriages and mice are transformed into horses.

Cinderella runs at the Ipswich Regent from December 14-31. Tickets can be booked at http://ipswichtheatres.co.uk/